Exploring the Sporting Legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games: Long-Term Outcomes in School, Community, and Elite Sports

초록

This study examines the sporting legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games through a qualitative documentary analysis of policy documents, post-Games evaluation reports, public statistics, news reports, and academic research published between 2009 and 2025, focusing on school, community, and elite sports. Overall, the 2012 Games made substantial progress toward their sporting legacy commitments, although outcomes varied across these domains. At least 1.6 million more people became involved in sport in the UK, British athletes achieved stronger medal results than at the 2008 Olympic Games, and a high level of performance was maintained at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. However, long-term growth in sports participation has been modest. In particular, efforts to stimulate adult participation appear to have produced short-term mobilization rather than stable and sustainable long-term change. Participation in community sport remains unevenly distributed, with low-income groups, women, and ethnic minority communities continuing to be under-represented. Long-term growth in school sports participation is also limited. While activity frequency and positive attitudes toward sport improved, inequalities persist. Elite sport achieved the clearest success, though not without welfare and governance costs.